Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Olympics
Ryan Smart
Lindsey Vonn called out a reporter over a 'very odd' opinion piece shortly before her horror crash in the women's downhill final at the Winter Olympics.
Vonn crashed out 13 seconds into her run in Cortina after her right ski pole clipped an outside gate, forcing her off balance and causing her to hit the ground hard.
The 41-year-old, who was looking to become the oldest skier to win an Olympic medal in alpine skiing, then tumbled down the course before coming to a halt.
Vonn received immediate medical attention and was airlifted away from the course via medical helicopter.
Advert
She was transported to the Ca' Foncello hospital in nearby Trevino for further assessment.
The hospital confirmed on Sunday evening that the 2010 Olympic champion had undergone an 'orthapaedic operation' to stabilise a left leg fracture, and that she is being treated by a 'multidisciplinary team'.
There was already significant attention on Vonn prior to her run, given she had chosen to compete despite suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee just nine days before the final at a World Cup event.
She completed two training runs to enable her to compete in the final, with one of her runs clocked at just 0.37 seconds slower than US team-mate Breezy Johnson, who went on to win gold on Sunday.
Vonn's head coach, Chris Knight, told the Associated Press on Wednesday that it was a 'pretty easy decision' for the skiing legend to declare herself for the final.
Vonn was active on social media in the days leading up to the final, telling one Twitter user that she was taking 'zero pain medications'.
She explained to sports medicine doctor Brian Sutterer, who had questioned the state of her left ACL before the World Cup crash, that her ligament had been 'fully functioning until last Friday (the day of the crash)', adding: "Just because it seems impossible to you doesn't mean it's not possible. And yes, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. It's 100% gone."
But she also called out mental performance coach Greg Graber, who published an opinion piece for USA Today on Vonn's remarkable attempt to win another Olympic medal.
Despite claiming he was 'no doctor', Graber went on to claim that 'it would seem that she is risking long-term physical repercussions by refusing to hang up her skis at this point'.
He also wrote that 'there are probably many reasons why she is skiing injured at her age', before claiming that 'maybe the pain is the point' regarding why she decided to compete.
Vonn unsurprisingly took issue with the article, and responded directly to Graber's now-deleted post on Twitter: "I'm sorry Greg but this is a very odd opinion piece.
"The pain and suffering is the point? I'm searching for meaning? Why am I taking risk 'at my age'? This ageism stuff is getting really old.
"My life does not revolve around ski racing. I am a woman that loves to ski. I don't have an identity issue, I know exactly who I am. I was retired for 6 years and I have an amazing life.
"I don't need to ski, but I love to ski. I came all this way for one final Olympics and I'm going to go and do my best, ACL or no. It's as simple as that.
"And respectfully, if you don't know the story, it might be best not to make assumptions."
In a separate reply, she wrote: "And I should add, I'm not skiing past my prime, like the examples you gave.
"Might want to take a peak at the current downhill standings. I guess it will surprise you to see who is leading [Vonn is number one]."